Circuit controller



Jam. 21, 1930. w. c. STEVENS 'ET A1.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Nov. 26, 1923 2 Sheets-Smet l Ome/nce AZTKNEYJan. 21, 1930. w. c. STEVENS ET AL 1,744,247

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Nov. 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GW Sisma/vw @MMMWMM Gbe/umnv Patented Jan. 21, =1930 UNITED lSTA Es PATENT oFF'Icl-jWILLIAM C. STEVENS AND CLARENCE T. EVANS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AS-

SIG-NORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CUTLER-HAMMER; INC., A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Application led November 26, 1923. SerialNo. 676,914.

type.

The invention has among `its objects to provide an improved motorstarter of the enclosed type having its switch parts and startingresistance arranged in an exceedingly compact relation within arelatively small enclosing casing.

Another object is to provide a motor starter of the aforesaid characterincluding a resistance element which is bendable to suit the spaceconditions between. the switch mechanism and the enclosing casing andwhich, due to its inherent structure, will retain the form into which itis bent.

Another object is to provide a motor starter having a resistance elementof the aforesaid character, such element being complete in itself andincluding terminal devices to beV detachably secured to certain partsof. the switch mechanism.`

Another object is to provide a motor starter of the enclosed typeincluding a resistance element of the aforesaid character which isarranged adjacent or in contact with a relatively large surface of theinterior of the enclosing casing to provide for \rapid transference ofheat from the element to the enclosing casi-ng., f 1 f Various otherobjects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a motor starter embodying theinvention but it should be understood that certain features of theinvention are not limited to motor startl ers of the character shown butare capable of use`v in other relations.

In. the drawings,

"Figure 1 is a front elevational View of al motor starter embodying theinvention, the cover of the enclosing casing being removed. Figs. 2 and3 are vertical sectional views on lines 2-2 and 3 3 respectively, ofFig. -1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 4--4of Fig. 1.

3. As best shownn Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a schematic view ofthe starter and the circuit connectionstherefor.

Referring to the drawings, the same illustrate a motor startferincluding switches 1 and 2, the former switch being adapted ashereinafter set forth to control the continuity of the motor circuit andthe latter being adapted to include and exclude a resistance element Rin the armature circuit of the motor. The switches 1 and 2 are mountedupon an insulating panel 3, such panel being secured to the rear wall ofan enclosing Acasing 4, and, as hereinafter set forth, the resistanceelement R is adapted to be mounted within a relatively small spacebetween the switch mechanism and the enclosing casing and is supportedby certain parts of the switch mechanism.

More specifically, switch 1- includes a stationary contact 5 mountedupon a supporting post 6 fixed to base 3, and a co-operating movablecontact finger 7 arranged in front of said'stationary contact andnormally out of engagement therewith. Switch 2 includes a stationarycontact 8 carried by a supporting bracket 9 fixed to base 3 and aco-operating movable contact finger 10 arranged to the rear of saidstationary Contact and normally engaging the same. Contact ingers 7 and10 are mounted upon supporting members 11 and 12 respectively, and saidsupporting members arepivotally mounted upon a pin 13 carried by aU-shaped magnet frame 14 iXed to the front 'face of insulating panel pin13 is supported by spaced upwardly projecting lugs 15 and 16 on thefront wall of magnet frame 14 and supporting member 11 is'p'rovided withspaced bearing portionsy 17-17 arranged on opposite sides of the formerlug. while supporting member 12 is provided-rv wlth spaced bearingportions 18-18. ar-` ranged on opposite sides of the latter lug. Also,as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, supporting members 11 and 12 areprovided with upwardly extending projections 19 and 20, respectively.,Contact finger 7 has its/lower end fulcrumed within a recess and thefront face of extension 19 while contactnger 10 has itslower endfulcrumed within a recess in the rear face of ertension 20 and each of icontact' ngers is yieldingly held inen- 22 and 23, arranged verticallyand in a plane itsv respective .supporting gagem'ent with device 21 ofcontending armature projection1l25'to be attracted by magnet 23 forretention of switch 2 in open position. As hereinafter set forth, magnet23 maintains switch 2 in open position during starting of the motor, butas soon as the motor is brought up to speed a sprin 26 overcomes therestraining .action of sai \ma et and moves switch 2 to closed position.Spring 26 is held under compression between a projecting lug 27 onsupporting member 12 and acup member 28 carried by a screw. 29,whichisthreaded into the lower wall of 25 magnet-frame 14 and is adjustableforvariation of theY degree of compressionfoflfsaidspring. As shown inFigs. 1 and 3, the right hand bearing portion 18 of supporting member 12has a projection 30 for engaging the front face of magnet frame 14 tolimit outward movement of said member and the con-Y tact linger carriedthereby under the action of spring 26.

The operating meansrfor switches 1 and.2 includes a cam member 31''1Xedto a square shaft 32 by a cap member 33. Shaft 32 has one end journaledin .the left hand wall of casing 4 and its opposite end fixedv to anoperating lever 35 havin a hub portion 36 journaled in theright and wallof said casing. As shownin Fig. 2, shaft 32 has a lever 37 fixed'thereto and the same is biased to 'move in a clockwise direction byspring 38 having one end connected to said lever amaca? ber and thecontact linger 10 into open position said stop engagesthe upper face ofa projection 44b on supporting member 11 to move the latter in adirection for closure of contact linger 7. Contact linger 7 is retainedin closed position by magnet 22, and upon release Bf the operating lever3,5 the latter is heldin running position against the action creases asthe speed of the and its opposite end connected to a pin`39 fixed tothe-lowerwall of casing 4. Cam 3l, 'as shown in Fig. 3, is providedwithcam surfaces 40 and 41, the former surface being arranged to co-actwith a forwardly projectmg lug 42 on the left hand bearing portion 18lof supporting member 12 and the latter.

j surface being arranged to co-act with a downwardly projecting lug 43on the right hand bearing portion 17 of supporting member 11. Referringto Fig. 5, it will be observed that the operatinglever 35 has extreme 0Hand starting positions and an intermediate .running psition. Uponmovement of the `lever 35 from its oli' to starting position cam surface40 engages lug 42- to moversupportj ingmember 12 and the contact nger 10carriedthereby into open position. Supporting member-.12 isprovided witha projecting lug 44 havmgan djustable. stop 44a mounted thereon and dring movement of said memof spring 38 through engagement of cam sur-'face 41 with the lug 43 on supporting member 11. By forcibly movinglever 35 from its running position to its olf Vposition cam surface 41acts on lug 43 to move supportingmember 11 and contact 7 into openposition against the restraining action of magnet 22.

The function and operation of the aforevdescribed starter will now bemore fully set forth in connection with Fig. 6. The resistance elementR, which will be hereinafter more fully described, has one terminalconnected to'st'ationary contact 5 of switch 2 andl the other terminalthereof is connectedto the movable contact element of said switch andalso to rthe movable contact element of switch f 1. As above set forth,upon movement of opfrom olf position to startingerating lever 35-positionlthe contact linger 7 of switch 1 is moved to closed positionand-*the contact finger 10 of switch 2 is moved to open position. Withthe switchesdn this position the armature of the motor is connectedacross lines L and L through switch 1 and resistance element R while theeld of the motor is connected across said linesby a circuit extendingthrough switch. 1 and magnet 22. -Upon-release of the operatinV handle35 switclrl is held in closedpositi switch 2 is vheld in open positionby magnet 23, the latter magnet being connected across the terminals ofresistance element R. With magnet 23 connected in this manner it isapparent that the attractive force thereof demotor increases and spring26 is adjusted to overcome` the restraining action of said magnet toeffect closure of switch 2 when the motor is brought up to agiven'speed. Closure ofswitch 2, excludes the 'resistance element R fromthev armature circuit of the motor. Q To stop the motor' operatinghandle 35 is forcibly moved f position to olf position n by magnet 22while izo tubular jacket or casing 45, terminals46 and v 47 inserted inopposite ends of said'jack t and Arigidly fastened thereto, a helicalresistor 4&

arrangedwithin said 'jacket andconnected to said terminals andinsulation 49 compacted. within the jacket and around and about theresistor. The terminals 46 and 47 are insulated from the jacket 45 andeach of the Vsame Yhas a threaded shankjpiovided with a pair 'ofclamping nuts 50. The terminal 46 is secured to a projecting lug 51 onbracket 9 while terminal 47 is secured to a projecting lug 52v on magnetframe 14. The lugs 51 and 52 are provided with openings, for receivingtheir respective terminals, saidy openings beingV slotted to permitready removal of the element from the front of the casing. Theresistance element is originally straight and is shaped to suit thespace conditions between the switch mechanism and the enclosing casing.The element shown in the drawings is shaped to provideva looped portionarranged in a vertical plane and a looped portion arranged in ahorizontal plane below the magnet frame 13. lIt is apparent that due tothe inherent structure of the resistance element the same can be readilybent and upon bending will retain its shape. Furthermore, it should benoted that the element is self-supporting and capable of being readilyinstalled.

As shown in Fig: 1 the closing casing is of such dimensions that theright hand and bottom walls thereof are adjacent to the resistanceelement. Thus the heat generated in the resistance element will berapidly transferred to the enclosing casing and it is to be noted thatwith an element of the aforedescribed construction the casing'can bebrought into contact with the resistance element if desired. Theenclosing casing is preferably formed in two parts consisting of a rearportion 4a and a cover portion 4b, said cover being arranged to carrythe operating shaft 32 and lever C35 and being secured to the rearportion 4a by screws 515. The rear portion 4a of the enclos- .ing casingis provided with an opening in the upper` wall th/ereof for receivingthe necessary conductors and the insulating base 3 is provided withsuitable terminal devices 57 for connectionl to s uch conductors.

sAs before stated, the switch 1 is adapted to break the motor circuitand' in order to eliminatearcing between the contacts thereof, amagnetic blowout device is mounted upon the insulating panel 3. Suchblowout device is of a conventional design and includes an electromagnet58 ixed toinsulating base 3 and having pole pieces 59 arranged onopposite sides of the contacts of switch 1.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a circuit controller, ofv a' closely fittingenclosing casing therefor, and a resistor for said controller comprisingan insulated resistance wire enclosed within a long tubular sheath bentto lie between -said controller and a plurality of the walls of saidcasing and in good thermal relation to the latter.

`EZ. The combination with a circuitcontrol- `ling device, of a casingclosely surrounding said device, and a resistor removably secured tosaid device and suported thereby, said re-

